Interactive Infographic: The Global Business of Dying

Throughout the world, laws governing how terminally ill patients can choose to die vary widely.

Aug 16, 2017

Catherine Offord

Although in many parts of the world, the rules governing the legality of assisting in another person’s death are murky at best, some countries have passed legislation that explicitly allows doctors to aid in ending the lives of their patients—either by prescription of a lethal dose of drugs such as barbiturates (generally termed medical aid-in-dying in the U.S.) or by a clinician-administered lethal injection (often called euthanasia). In most, but not all, of these countries, the patient must be an adult, reside in the country where they receive end-of-life care, and have an incurable medical condition that causes them suffering. (Click the labeled countries for more information about their practices.)